Swivel holster

ABSTRACT

A holster for a handgun is pivotally secured to a belt or pendant loop by a pivot pin having a first integral head and a shouldered elongated shank with the shoulder adjacent the end of the shank remote from the integral head. The pivot pin also includes a second head having a central opening adapted to receive the pin shank and engage the shank shoulder portion when the shank is peened. The assembly may also include a separable fastener connecting the holster and the belt loop at a position removed from the axis of the pivot pin.

United States Patent 11 3 10 437 72] Inventor Com-Camp I 2,987,230 6/1961 2'24/5(.2

1519Las egasB d. t g 3,261,519 7/1966 Horne 224/2 .2

m] A IN gag-$ 4 FOREIGN PATENTS [22] Filed sepuodgw 10,333 1/1915 GreatBrltam ,214/5F [45] Patented Oct. 5, 1971 Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-George F. Abraham Att0mey-Stowe11& Stovvell [54]- SWIVEL HOLSTER 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. I v [52] US. Cl 224/2 B ABSTRACT: A holster for a handgun is pivotally secured to a 1111- CL 1 33/02 belt or pendant loop by a pivot pin having a first integral head [50] Field of Search 224/21, and a shouldered elongated shank with the shoulder adjacent 214' 5.2, 26, 26- 5 5 5 1 1 5 5, the end of the shank remote from the integral head The pivot 5 N, pin also includes a second head having a central opening adapted to receive the pin shank and engage the shank [56] References Cited shoulder portion when the shank is peened. The assembly may UNITED STATES PATENTS also include a separable fastener connecting the holster and 1,738,581 12/1929 Hodgson 224/5 Z the belt loop at a position removed from the axis of the pivot 2,960,790 11/1960 Pullen 224/2 (.2)X pm.

PATENTED BET 5l97l 3.610.487

J 5- INVENTOR CONRAD CA p 32 j 2x4 gJQM/ /I4 ATTORNEYS SWIVEL IIOLSTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Swivel holsters are known and have been extensively used in the past, as they permit the wearer of a belt-supported handgun holster to pivot the holster when the wearer is not in the erect position such as, for example, while seated in chairs, vehicles and the like where a nonpivotal holster would interfere with the comfort of the wearer.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved swivel holster for a handgun which reduces to a minimum wear on the pivot pinhead and substantially prolongs the life of such devices.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide connecting means between a holster and a belt loop or pendant which permits free pivotal motion between the holster and the loop even though the connecting pin is solidly welded, peened or otherwise connected or joined with the nonintegral head of the pivot pin.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by an improved swivel holster assembly comprising a holster adapted to receive a handgun, a pendant loop, means pivotally attaching the holster to the pendant loop, and fastening means separably connecting the holster and the pendant loop at a point remote from the axis of the pivotal attaching means, wherein said pivotal attaching means comprises a pivot pin having an enlarged first head and an elongated shank, a shoulder formed on the shank remote from the first head, a second head adapted to be received on the shank and to engage the shank shoulder, and means securing the second head to the shank.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a gun holster comprising the new and improved swivel means;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a still further enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2 showing detailed structure of the swivel;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the holster in a rotated position; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the swivel components.

Referring to the drawing generally designates an improved swivel holster assembly including a holster 12 adapted to receive a handgun illustrated at I4 in broken lines and a pendant or belt loop 16. The holster 12 is mounted for pivotal movement to the pendant loop 16 by an improved pivot pin assembly generally designated 18 while the holster is separably connected to the pendant loop by a separable fastener generally designated 20'.

It will be particularly noted that the separable fastener 20' is positioned remote from the axis of the pivotal connecting means I8.

The holster per se includes a pouch portion 20 shaped to receive the barrel and a portion of the firing mechanism of a handgun. Generally integrally formed with the pouch 20 of the holster is an upstanding web 22 which in the illustrated form of the invention comprises a double thickness of, for example, the leather forming the bolster; the backwall 24 thereof comprising the inner wall of the pouch portion 20 and the front wall 26 comprising a facing piece of leather so that all portions of the holster exposed to the view have a finished leather surface.

The elements 24 and 26 are preferably secured one to the other by stitching, cementing or stitching and cementing as desired by the particular holster manufacturer.

The belt or pendant loop 16 consists, as more clearly shown in FIG; 2, of a piece of leather bent upon itself to provide an open looplike zone 28 which is adapted to receive a waist belt 30.

While in the illustrated form of the invention the belt or pendant loop 16 is of the type having the zone 28 to slidably receive the wearer's belt 30 it will be appreciated that the belt or pendant loop 16 may be formed without the zone 28 and the pendant loop may be detachably or undetachably secured to a belt such as belt 30 as is known in the holster art.

In order to permit pivotal swinging motion of the holster portion 12 and handgun received therein relative to the pendant loop 16 and the wearers belt 30 the holster portion 12 is, as hereinbefore described, pivotally'connected by a pivot pin 18 to the pendant loop 16 whereby when separable fastener 20' is disengaged the holster and handgun may be pivoted as more clearly shown in FIG. 4.

The novel attaching means more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 generally comprises a metallic pivot pin having an enlarged preferably integral first head 32 and an elongated shank 34. The shank 34 has a reduced end portion 36 which forms a shoulder 38 on the pin remote from the head 32.

The pivot pin 18 also includes a second head or washer member 40 bored as at 42 to snugly receive the outer cylindrical surface of the reduced-diameter portion 36 and to seat against the shoulder 38 when the head 40 is pressed upon the shank 36 as more clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

The length of the shank 34 between the inner surface of the first head 32 and the shoulder 38 is selected so that when the device is assembled as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 freedom of movement is permitted between the holster portion 22 and the belt pendant or loop 16 at line of contact X-X FIG. 3 of the drawing.

In the illustrated form of the invention the pivot pin I8 is of the rivet type such that when the shank is inserted through bores in the loop I6 and'the holster 22, the second head 40 is inserted on the reduced portion 36 to bear against the shoulder 38 and the extended end 44 of the shank 34 is peened, the head 40 is pressed snugly against the shoulder 38 to complete an integral assembly without causing binding of the moving portions of the assembly.

Further as illustrated in the drawing where desired face 50 of the holster and face 52 of the loop 16 may be embossed to receive the pair of heads 32 and 40 to provide a relatively flush appearance to the assemblage. With the members assembled as illustrated relative rotation between elements 16 and 22 does not cause metal to metal wear between the head 40 and the peened end 44 of the pivot pin substantially eliminating wear at this primary wear portion of prior art devices. While in the illustrated form of the invention the reduced por' tion 36 to the shank 34 of the pivot pin is circular in cross section, the reduced portion may be quadrangular or the like in cross section with a comparable shaped opening in the head 40 to further reduce relative twisting motion between the head 40 and the peened portion of the shank of the pin. Also other means for securing the head 40 to the reduced shank portion 36 of the pin 34 may be employed without departing from the present invention such as, for example, spot welding or providing mating locking threads on the inner surface of the bore 42 and the reduced shank portion 36 or combinations of such attaching means may be employed.

As hereinbefore described the holster may be secured against the pivotal movement relative to the pendant loop 16 by the separable fastener means 20'. In FIG. 2 the separable fastener means is illustrated as being of conventional design and other than its principal function of immobilizing the holster from rotation, forms no specific part of the present invention. The separable fastener may include a female half 56 and a male half 58.

From the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the aims and objects thereinbefore described are fully accomplished.

lclaim:

l. A swivel holster assembly comprising a holster adapted to receive and support a handgun, a pendant loop adapted to be supported by a body-worn belt-type arrangement, means pivotally attaching the holster to the pendant loop and fastening means separably connecting the holster and the pendant loop at a point remote from the axis of the pivotal attaching means, said pendant loop and said holster having registering openings and said pivotal attaching means comprising a pivot pin having a shank fitted within such openings and having opposing ends extended beyond such openings, an enlarged head integrally fonned on one of said shank ends, said other end of the shank having a terminal end portion coaxially reduced from the shank and defining an outwardly facing shoulder on the shank disposed inwardly of the terminus of such other end, a second head having a central aperture of a size and shape complemental to the reduced end portion of the shank, said aperture receiving said shank end portion so that the second head is fitted on the shank complemental to and spaced from the first head with said heads disposed at the outer sides of the holster and the pendant loop and means on the terminus of the other end of the shank for retaining the second head on the shank and in engagement of the shoulder thereon so that the heads are in parallel and spaced-apart relation with the spacing between the heads approximating the combined thickness of the mating holster and pendant loop.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said pivot pin and the second head comprise metal and the second head is secured to the reduced shank portion of the pivot pin. 

1. A swivel holster assembly comprising a holster adapted to receive and support a handgun, a pendant loop adapted to be supported by a body-worn belt-type arrangement, means pivotally attaching the holster to the pendant loop and fastening means separably connecting the holster and the pendant loop at a point remote from the axis of the pivotal attaching means, said pendant loop and said holster having registering openings and said pivotal attaching means comprising a pivot pin having a shank fitted within such openings and having opposing ends extended beyond such openings, an enlarged head integrally formed on one of said shank ends, said other end of the shank having a terminal end portion coaxially reduced from the shank and defining an outwardly facing shoulder on the shank disposed inwardly of the terminus of such other end, a second head having a central aperture of a size and shape complemental to the reduced end portion of the shank, said aperture receiving said shank end portion so that the second head is fitted on the shank complemental to and spaced from the first head with said heads disposed at the outer sides of the holster and the pendant loop and means on the terminus of the other end of the shank for retaining the second head on the shank and in engagement of the shoulder thereon so that the heads are in parallel and spacedapart relation with the spacing between the heads approximating the combined thickness of the mating holster and pendant loop.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said pivot pin and the second head comprise metal and the second head is secured to the reduced shank portion of the pivot pin. 